1. Home
  2. What to Support
  3. University-Wide Priorities
  4. Access & Affordability
  5. Supporting the GSP Necessity Fund Endowment

Supporting the GSP Necessity Fund Endowment

Emergency aid for first-generation and low-income Georgetown students

As part of the university’s commitment to removing financial barriers for students with the greatest need, Georgetown in 2010 began providing modest grants to students encountering unexpected out-of-pocket expenses such as medical co-pays and emergency travel.

Funded by our generous donor community and administered by the university’s Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP)—a nationally recognized model for supporting first-generation and low-income students—the GSP Necessity Fund now distributes several thousand grants annually.

It supports needs ranging from off-campus mental health counseling to grocery stipends, winter clothing, professional attire, graduate school application fees, and more. In fiscal year 2020, the fund provided Georgetown students with nearly $700,000 in emergency aid, including significant resources to support the transition to a virtual learning environment.

During my first year, my mother had a stroke and I needed to fly home to be with her. However, I did not have the money. GSP provided me with an emergency grant to go home and spend the quality time that I needed with my mother.

—GSP STUDENT, C’19

Philanthropic support for a growing need

By addressing unexpected financial stressors, the GSP Necessity Fund is a crucial complement to students’ financial aid packages, ensuring that undergraduates can focus their energy on academic achievement and the college experience.

We’ve seen a significant increase in demand from students for these flexible resources: the number of Necessity Fund grant awards distributed annually has grown more than 150% in the past five years.

Across the Necessity Fund’s first decade, philanthropy has allowed us to reach more students and provide financial support. Our donor community knows that giving to the Necessity Fund is a direct investment in Georgetown students—every dollar raised goes directly to those with the greatest need.

Building the Necessity Fund Endowment

Relying on year-to-year current-use giving, however, has its risks and limitations. We now turn to our philanthropic community as we seek to build out a dedicated Necessity Fund Endowment. This funding model will help ensure we can meet students’ evolving needs in perpetuity.

We have received leadership gifts to establish the Necessity Fund Endowment and are seeking additional support from our donor community to fulfill the ambitious vision for the Necessity Fund’s future growth.

Once fully funded, the endowment not only will provide permanent resources in support of low-income and first-generation students but also will free resources for other priorities. A robust Necessity Fund Endowment will enable GSP staff to spend even more time with students, streamline the grant review process, enhance existing grants, create new grants—and help ensure that every student can thrive at Georgetown.

With appreciation

Georgetown welcomes your partnership in advancing our commitment to access, affordability, and equity of experience. Please consider making a gift in support of the GSP Necessity Fund Endowment.

Please contact us to learn more about the GSP Necessity Fund and opportunities to grow this important resource. For more information on the Georgetown Scholars Program, please visit the GSP website.